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Video expert shares how the Acosta clip was doctored to make reporter look like the aggressor

Mike Moffitt, SFGATE| on
November 8, 2018

President Donald Trump looks on as a White House aide tries to take away a microphone from CNN journalist Jim Acosta during a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, in Washington. less

President Donald Trump looks on as a White House aide tries to take away a microphone from CNN journalist Jim Acosta during a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, in ... more

Photo: Evan Vucci, AP

Photo: Evan Vucci, AP

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President Donald Trump looks on as a White House aide tries to take away a microphone from CNN journalist Jim Acosta during a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, in Washington. less

President Donald Trump looks on as a White House aide tries to take away a microphone from CNN journalist Jim Acosta during a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, in ... more

Photo: Evan Vucci, AP

Video expert shares how the Acosta clip was doctored to make reporter look like the aggressor

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A video expert shared on Twitter how the the footage of CNN reporter Jim Acosta that White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders uploaded on the social media platform was doctored.

Rafael Shimunov, a political activist and "techie creative director," said he put a red tint overlay on the CSPAN video of the encounter between Acosta and a White House aide who was trying to take a microphone from him. Shimunov wrote that the "red motion" shows where the video speed was doctored to make Acosta's arm movement look like a chop.

Some frames were slowed down, and others sped up to create the illusion that Acosta was acting aggressively.

1) Took @PressSec Sarah Sanders' video of briefing2) Tinted red and made transparent over CSPAN video3) Red motion is when they doctored video speed4) Sped up to make Jim Acosta's motion look like a chop5) I've edited video for 15+ years6) The White House doctored it pic.twitter.com/q6arkYSx0V

In the original video, Acosta's arm appears to move only as a response to the aide's attempts to grab the microphone during his questioning of President Donald Trump.

Shimunov, who says he has 15 years experience in video editing, concluded that "the White House doctored it," but later amended that, saying the White House uploaded a manipulated video — "there is no evidence that they are the source of the doctored video."

The edited video was first shared by Paul Joseph Watson, a 9-11 truther known for his conspiracy-theory videos on the far-right website Infowars. Sanders uploaded it on Twitter Wednesday night.

Slowed down the @Acosta encounter to show the FOUR times the White House staffer touched HIM... not the other way around. Unclear if she's been suspended. pic.twitter.com/gBhlR2r5P1

A slowed-down version of the encounter shows the White House aide initiating contact with Acosta. In a tweet Thursday, CNN communications executive Matt Dornic called Sanders' sharing of the video "absolutely shameful."

"You released a doctored video - actual fake news. History will not be kind to you," he wrote.